According to Dan Tri Electronic Newspaper, the flu epidemic is seriously breaking out in many countries, especially in Japan, making vaccination even more urgent. However, according to doctors, do not wait until the last minute to jump, the flu needs time to create antibodies.
1. Changing weather – The cause of flu outbreaks in many places around the world
According to the WHO report, seasonal influenza is increasing globally in many European and Asian countries. In Japan, in the winter of 2024, the number of hospitalizations due to influenza complications increased dramatically, and it was considered the worst influenza epidemic in 25 years. The result was overloaded hospitals, scarce medical supplies, and sadly, many deaths.
In Vietnam, many cases of influenza infection were recorded at several major hospitals in Hanoi, including some cases of influenza A, some patients requiring ECMO intervention, and some patients with influenza on other underlying diseases.
The number of visitors and hospitalizations due to flu has increased at many hospitals. Photo: Thu Cuc TCI.
According to Master, Doctor Dang Thi Kim Hanh, Head of Vaccination Unit - Thu Cuc TCI, influenza virus can survive for hours in the environment in cold weather. At temperatures of 0 - 4 degrees Celsius, it can survive for several weeks, at -20 degrees Celsius and freeze-dried, it can survive for years. The time after Tet is often cold but humid, which is a favorable condition for influenza epidemics to spread and break out.
Flu symptoms are usually mild in people with good resistance, including signs such as runny nose, sneezing, cough, body aches and fever. With proper rest, keeping the body warm, nutritional supplements and treatment with conventional medicine, the disease will go away on its own within a few days without the need for hospitalization.
However, the virus can cause serious complications for the elderly, children, pregnant women, people with chronic diseases or immunodeficiency. At that time, the respiratory system is severely damaged, leading to many complications such as pneumonia, combined infections, myocarditis, fetal malformations, miscarriage or premature birth... In severe cases, patients may need a ventilator, dialysis due to respiratory failure and multiple organ failure, even life-threatening. "The worrying thing is that we don't know who can have severe complications and healthy young people can still have severe complications if they have not been vaccinated before," Dr. Hanh warned.
2. Why shouldn't we wait for an outbreak to get the flu vaccine?
Influenza vaccines are recommended to be administered annually and anyone who is eligible should get vaccinated immediately without waiting for the epidemic season because in Vietnam there are flu patients all year round. Currently, the common flu vaccines are inactivated vaccines, injectable form, including 04 strains of influenza (including 2 strains of influenza A and 2 strains of influenza B) which are updated annually based on the circulation trend of the influenza virus.
People should proactively get vaccinated every year, before the epidemic occurs. Photo: Thu Cuc TCI
According to Dr. Hanh, many people still have a subjective mentality, only getting vaccinated when the epidemic has appeared. This is a misconception because the vaccine needs 2-3 weeks for the body to create enough protective antibodies.
Vaccination is only given when an outbreak occurs, during which time the immune system is not yet equipped with the ability to fight the influenza virus, leaving the vaccinated person at high risk of contracting the disease if exposed to a source of infection. Therefore, health experts always recommend proactive vaccination before the epidemic season to ensure effective disease prevention.
Priority groups for vaccination
Pregnant women and women preparing to become pregnant should get a flu shot. Photo: Thu Cuc TCI
Dr. Hanh said that flu vaccination is recommended for everyone, however, priority groups for vaccination include children from 6 months of age with incomplete immune systems; people over 65 years old because their immune systems decline with age and have many chronic diseases; pregnant and lactating women because vaccination is to protect their babies. Especially important are people with chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, kidney failure, and chronic liver disease because the risk of complications is higher than normal people.
In addition, groups at high risk of exposure such as medical staff, teachers, nursery staff, people working in air-conditioned environments and people who travel frequently for work also need to be vaccinated early to ensure health and limit the spread of disease in the community.
In addition, people in the family with babies, pregnant women or the elderly, people with chronic diseases also need to get vaccinated against the flu to protect themselves and together create a protective belt for the above priority subjects.
To encourage people to proactively prevent diseases, Thu Cuc TCI Vaccination Room offers 5% discount on flu vaccinations this month. The unit applies strict vaccination procedures according to international standards, including thorough screening, vaccine preservation in a standard cold chain, 30-minute post-vaccination monitoring and a team of experienced specialists on duty to monitor.
Don't wait until the disease "knocks on the door" to think about prevention. Be proactive in protecting your health and your family's health today. Contact 1900 55 88 92 to make an appointment and get advice.
Source: https://benhvienthucuc.vn/cum-dung-de-nuoc-den-chan-moi-nhay/
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